Yarn tension device



Juli-2, 1953 c. w. BROUWER ET AL 3,390,845

YARN TENSION DEVICE Filed Oct. 11, 1966 E w INVENTCRS CHARLES W. BRQUWER ALAN H. NORRIS FIG! 4a ATTOR N YS United States Patent 3,390,845 YARN TENSION DEVICE Charles W. Brouwer, East Greenwich, R.I., and Alan H.

Norris, Somers, C0nn., assignors to Leesona Corporation, Warwick, R.I., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Oct. 11, 1966, Ser. No. 585,859 18 Claims. (Cl. 242-150) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A yarn tension device comprising opposed tension discs rotatable about off-set, parallel axes perpendicular to a yarn passing between the discs. One disc is driven in one direction about its axis by positive drive means while the other disc, which includes a one-way clutch mechanism, is driven in the other direction about its axis by the moving yarn to affect a scrubbing action therebetween causing foreign particles to be removed or discharged from between the discs. The amount of offset of the axes of the discs is adjustable and the top disc is raised by cam means upon an interruption of the advancing yarn.

This invention relates to yarn winding apparatus, and more particularly relates toa new and improved yarn tension device for use therewith.

The word yarn will herein be used in a generic sense to apply to all kinds of strand material, either textile or otherwise.

The invention is particularly applicable to winding machines of the type disclosed in the commonly assigned US. Patent No. 2,764,362 to W. V. Goodhue et al., although it will be readily apparent that it is capable of adaptation to a variety of other types of textile machines. In a conventional manner, the invention is disposed intermediate the supply package =and the winding package of the winding machine. The invention employs a pair of contiguous discs which serve to apply pressure upon the yarn to properly tension the running strand as it is drawn therethrough.

A difficulty encountered in the past with disc-type tension devices resulted from the collection of lint or other foreign material on the yarn engaging surface. That is to say, normally the frictional drag imposed by the discs upon the yarn tended to rotate one or both of the discs in the direction of yarn advancement, the tension imparted to the yarn being a function of the force urging the discs together coupled with the angle of yarn wrap about the post supporting the discs. However, when an accumulation of foreign matter equal or greater than the diameter of the advancing strand became lodged between the disc surfaces, it acted to separate them. When this occurred the pressure applied to the advancing strand by the discs was reduced to the extent that the tension device no longer applied the desired level of tension to the strand.

Another disadvantage of prior art disc tension devices resides in the fact that they are prone to excessive wear in certain localized regions of the disc surfaces while avoiding wear in certain other regions. Also, by reason of their generally complex mode of construction, known disc tension devices are difficult to clean and to maintain.

In accordance with the present invention a pair of tension discs are provided which have opposed and continuous friction surfaces. Each of the tension discs is individually mounted. One of the discs is positively rotated while the other is free to rotate by frictional engagement with the running strand of yarn. The axes of rotation of the discs are disparate or offset relative to one another so that they rotate in a somewhat orbital fashion with respect to each other to achieve an improved cleaning or scrubbing effect of one disc upon the other. The con- 3,390,845 Patented July 2, 1 968 struction of the invention is such that the amount of offset between the discs is further adjustable to accommodate the particular type of yarn being wound. Also, separation of the tension discs is easily and readily achieved thus even further aiding the process of cleaning the yarn engaging surfaces.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved device for regulating the tension in an advancing strand of yarn.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a tension device comprising a pair of rotatable tension elements having opposed friction surfaces arranged to receive an advancing strand of yarn therebetween, and means for positively rotating one of the elements.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tension device including a pair of rotatable tension elements having opposed friction surfaces arranged to receive therebetween a strand of yarn, and means to adjust the axis of rotation of one of the elements relative to that of the other.

A further object of the invention is to provide a selfcleaning tension regulating device.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a tension device including a pair of rotatable tension surfaces arranged to frictionally receive therebetween a strand of yarn, means to control the relative speeds between the discs, and means to adjust the amount of scrubbing between the surfaces independent of the relative speeds between the discs.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a yarn tension device incorporating means for adjusting the relative surface engaging positions of the tension discs.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a tension device having a pair of rotatable tension elements arranged to receive a strand of yarn therebetween, the axes of the rotatable tension elements being relatively offset.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a tension device which is adjustable according to the particular type of yarn being wound and the speed of the advancing yarn.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious or will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the invention, partly cut away and in section;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the device illustrated in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines IIIIII of FIG. 1.

With particular reference to the drawings, the novel tension device is generally referred to by numeral 10. It is illustrated in FIG. 1 as mounted atop a substantially flat panel 12 of a winding machine across which a strand of yarn Y advances as it is drawn in the direction of the arrow from a supply bobbin onto a winding package, neither the supply bobbin or winding package being illustrated. The arrangement of the winding machine may be according to that disclosed in the patent to Goodhue et a1., cited heretofore.

A bottom disc 14 has a substantially flat, smooth, and continuous upper surface 16. Disc 14 is preferably fabricated from a wear resistant material with its top surface 16 polished to a high degree of luster for smooth passage of yarn thereacross. Bottom disc 14 is fixed to the upper end of a shaft 18 such that the upper end of shaft 18 does not interrupt the smooth upper surface of disc 14. In turn, the shaft is suitably mounted for rotation by means of belt 20 or other suitable drive mechanism.

A post 22 is rigidly supported on flat panel 12 and extends normally therefrom at a positioned spaced from I 1 4 5' if.

disc 14. A chordal recess 24 is formed in the post 22. substantially perpendicular to the axis thereof and sufiiciently deep to communicate with an axially extending bore 26. A plunger 28 is slidably received in bore 26. During the normal winding operation, the base 30 of plunger 28 rests on the surface of a control cam 32, and a notch 34 formed in plunger 28 is in register with recess 24, as shown in FIG. 1. Thus, with plunger 28 positioned as seen in FIG. 1, the yarn Y advances unhindered through recess 24 and notch 34. Cam 32 is a standard component of the Goodhue et al. apparatus discussed earlier herein and reference is made to the cited Goodhue et al. patent for the details thereof.

A collar 36 is closely received over the top of post 22 and is supported on a shoulder 38 thereon. An extension 40 of collar 36 has a hole 42 tapped therein. A bridge member 44 is provided with a down-turned car 46 having a. clearance hole formed therein. A bolt 48 passes through the hole in ear 46 and is threadedly received into hole 42 in such a manner as to allow for the pivotal movement of bridge member 44 on bolt 48. A second hole is tapped into collar 36 to receive a set screw 51 therein. Set screw 51 is engageable with the peripheral surface of post 22 to selectively prevent rotation of said collar on said post.

Viewing FIG. 2, it will be seen that bridge member 44 is formed with an elongated slot 52 to receive therein the reduced end portion 54 of plunger 28, said slot being only slightly wider than said end portion. A shoulder 56 on plunger 28 is defined by portion 54 and during the normal winding operation shoulder 56 is spaced slightly from bridge member 44.

A slot 58 is formed in the extremity of bridge member 44 remote from ear 46 for supporting a tension stem 60 therein. Said tension stem 60 is suitably threaded as at 62 to receive a nut 64 thereon to fix tension stem 60 to bridge member 44. A ring retainer 68 is secured adjacent the foot of tension stem 60 and supports thereon a washer 70 which serves as a seat for thrust bearing 72. A casing 74, of generally square cross-section (see FIG. 3) has a circular axial bore 75 therein and is rotatably mounted on tension stem 60 by means of bearing 76. A sleeve77 is positioned on tension stem 60, and held thereto by means of a force fit, acts as a spacer between the identical sets of bearings 76. A clutch 78 of the roller-pawl type located in the enlarged portion 80 of tension stem 60 permits rotation of casing 74 in one direction only, preferably opposite that of bottom disc 14.

To prevent lint and other foreign material from entering casing 74, a cap 82 encloses the top of said casing. Also, a circular plate 84 is provided with a circular flange 86 which is snugly received into the lower end of bore 75. To further prevent the entry of lint and other foreign material into casing 74, a second circular plate 88 is centrally apertured at 90 so as to be slidable axially of casing 74 but held for rotation therewith and, similar to plate 84, is provided with a circular flange 92 having an inner diameter only slightly larger than the diameter of plate 84. A top disc 94, like bottom disc 14, is preferably fabricated from a wear-resistant material and has its substantially flat, continuous lower surface 96 polished to a high degree of luster. The upper rim 98 of top disc 94 is bonded to plate 88 whereby said disc is axially movable relative to casing 74. It will be appreciated that the axis of top disc 94 is adjustable relative to that of bottom disc 14 in the general direction defined by the path of yarn Y (see FIG. 2) as provided by lot 58 in bridge 44. This is in addition to the construction of the invention which permits still further offset of the axes thereof by reason of the fact that collar 36 is pivotable about post 22 in the manner to be more fully described hereinafter.

During the normal winding operation, and particularly as is seen in FIG. 2, the advancing strand of yarn Y is preferably drawn over a bail 99 and between the contiguous discs 14 and 94. The bottom disc 14 is rotated in a direction by means of belt 20 while top disc 94 is rotated in the .opposite direction by virtue of its engagement with yarn Y as depicted by the arrows in FIG. 2. The upper disc 94 bears against the advancing yarn and its weight may desirably be augmented by one or more weights 100 placed on top of plate 88. A scrubbing effect is achieved betweencthe ppositely rotating discs 14 and 94 so that any foreign particles which become lodged between the surfaces thereof are quickly and effectively discharged therefrom. Even if the frictional force between yarn Y andsurface 96 of top disc 94 should not provide sufficient torque to drive top disc 94, said disc at least will be prevented by means of clutch 78 from rotating with bottom disc 14. Thus, there is 'always relative movement between the surfaces 16 and 96 of discs 14, 94 respectively which contributes to keeping the zone between the discs free for foreign matter. Also, the supply end of yarn continues to be held between the discs in the event of a yarn break downstream of tension device 10.

The amount of scrubbing achieved between the disc surfaces is a function of the relative speeds between the discs and the relative positioning of the discs and the yarn Y advancing therebetween. From the foregoing description, it will now be apparent that the construction of the invention allows for two independent modes of adjustment of the discs 14 and 94. According to one mode of adjustment, nut 64 can be loosened, the threaded end 62 of tension stem moved to a new position in slot 58, and nut 64 thereupon retightened. Top disc 94 is thereby movable substantially in line with the yarn path so that thedegree of scrubbing between the discs can be variedwithout substantially altering the rate of rotation of the top disc. That is, the speed of rotation of top disc 94 is a function of the lateral positioning of the yarn path relative to the axis of rotation of said disc. When the top disc 94 is moved between positions lying on an imaginary line substantially parallel to the yarn path, the rate of rotation of said top disc remains substantially unchanged.

According to the other mode of adjustment, the top disc 94 is movable through an are relative to 'bottom disc 14. This is accomplished by releasing set screw 51 and rotating collar 36 which in turn pivots bridge 44 and top disc 94 connected thereto about post 22. A preferable positioning of top disc 94 on bottom disc 14, for example, may be as shown in solid lines in FIG. 2. However, assuming that the rotational speed of the bottom disc 14 remains constant, it has been found that the top disc 94 rotates more rapidly for increased scrubbing when it is moved in'the direction of the disc position indicated in phantom at 88b. The desired position of a top disc 94 is dependent upon a number of factors including the type of yarn being wound, the coefficient of friction thereof, and the winding speed, and when that position is achieved, set screw 51 is again tightened to secure the disc in its new attitude.

' Periodically, it may be desired to inspect the surfaces of discs 14 and 94. To this end bridge member 44 can be pivoted about bolt 48 to the phantom position indicated at 44a in FIG. 1, and beyond. Top disc 94 is thereby fully withdrawn from bottom disc 14 to allow for the cleaning operation following which the former can be returned to the identical position which it had earlier occupied. A shoulder 102 formed in bore 75 engages the cage of thrust bearing 72 and prevents casing 74 from sliding axially of tension stem 60 when tension disc 94 is withdrawn from tension disc 14.

It was explained previously that during the normal winding operation, the base 30 of plpnger 28 rests on gages bridge member 44 to pivot same about the axis of bolt 48. The amount of lift imparted to plunger 28 is sufiicient to move top disc 94 out of engagement with bottom disc 14 and the yarn is freed so as to be drawn taut between bail 99 and said suction device and across bottom disc 14. Continued rotation of cam 32 permits plunger 28 to return to its original position so that top disc 94 also returns to engagement with yarn Y and bottom disc 14. As fully disclosed in the above-cited patent to Goodhue et al., plunger 28 operates in combination with cam 32 to perform other functions which form no part of the instant invention and which will not be described herein.

A novel yarn tension device has now been disclosed which operates continuously to prevent the accumulation of lint and other foreign material on the surfaces 16 and 96 of the respective tension discs 14 and 94. This is accomplished by positively rotating a first disc in one direction while preventing rotation of the second disc in the same direction. Further, the advancing yarn frictionally engages the surface of the second disc at least tending to rotate it in the direction opposite to that of the first disc. Then also, the discs are individually mounted whereby their operative positions are variable depending upon the magnitude of scrubbing desired. Further, one of the discs is easily and readily Withdrawn from the other to aid in the removal of heavy accumulations of lint and other foreign material. An added advantage of the invention resides in the construction of the discs 14 and 94 whose respective surfaces 16 and 96 are smooth and unbroken as by the support posts often employed in conventional disc tension devices.

Certain changes may be made in the apparatus described herein without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that all matters contained in the above description and shown in the accompanyin drawings shall be interpreted as being illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A yarn tension device comprising, first and second tension ,members arranged for rotation about parallel axes which are perpendicular to the path of a yarn passing therethrough and adapted to receive a strand of yarn therebetween for tensioning, drive means operative to rotate said first tension member in a given direction, and control means operative to restrict the rotation of said second tension member in said given direction as said first member is rotated.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said control means includes a clutch operable to permit rotation of said second tension member in a direction opposite to the rotational direction of said first member.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 including means for adjusting the axis of rotation of said second tension member relative to the rotational axis of said first tension member.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 including a shaft for supporting said second tension member, support means for holding said shaft, said support means being positioned for pivotal movement to move said shaft about an axis whereby to adjust the axis of rotation of said second tension member relative to the rotational axis of said first member.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein said support means includes a collar pivotal about a first axis, and an arm connected with said collar and pivotal about a second axis normal to said first axis.

vancing strand of yarn for automatically rendering said tensioning device inactive, said device including first and second tension members arranged for rotation and adapted to receive an advancing strand of yarn therebetween for tensioning as said strand is wound on said machine, drive means operative to rotate said first tension member in a given direction, control means operative to restrict the rotation of said second tension member in said given direction as said nrsr member is rotated, and means cooperable with said cam mechanism for separating said first and second tension members from tensioning position upon operation of cam mechanism.

8. The combination as set forth in claim 7 wherein said control means includes a clutch operable to permit rotation of said second tension member in a direction opposite to the rotational direction of said first member.

9. The combination as set forth in claim 7 including means for adjusting the axis of rotation of said second tension member relative to the rotational axis of said first tension member.

10. The combination as set forth in claim 9 including a shaft for supporting said second tension member, support means for holding said shaft, said support means being positioned for pivotal movement to move said shaft about an axis whereby to adjust the axis of rotation of said second tension member relative to the rotational axis of said first member.

11. The combination as set forth in claim 10 wherein said support means includes a collar pivotal about a first axis, a plunger arranged for axial movement, said plunger being operably connected with said cam mechanism, an arm connected with said collar and pivotal about a second axis normal to said first axis, and connecting means for joining said shaft with said arm, said arm being pivotal in response to axial movement of said plunger in response to operation of said cam to separate said second tension member from said first tension member.

12. The combination as set forth in claim 11 wherein said connecting means includes an elongated slot in said arm, and means for connecting said shaft to said arm through said slot, said shaft being adjustable to a selected position along the length of said slot.

13. A yarn tension regulating device comprising first and second opposed tension members arranged to receive there-between an advancing strand of yarn, said tension members respectively having parallel axes of rotation and being rotatable on said axes, the axis of said first tension member being adjustable relative to the axis of said second tension member.

14. The yarn tension device set forth in claim 13 including means for positively driving said first tension member.

15. The yarn tension device set forth in claim 13 including clutch means associated with said second tension member for restricting rotation thereof.

16. The yarn tension device set forth in claim 13 including means permitting adjustment of the distance between said axes in a direction substantially parallel to that of the path of the advancing strand.

17. The yarn tension device set forth in claim 13 including means for pivoting said second tension member about a third axis spaced from the axis of said first tension member and parallel thereto.

18. The device set forth in claim 13 including means for individually mounting said friction surfaces, said friction surfaces being smooth and continuous across their entire surfaces.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,842,321 7/1958 Keith 242 X 3,081,045 3/1963 Pitts et al. 242-35.6 3,168,992 2/1965 Zollinger 24235.5 3,297,264 1/ 1967 Gilbos 242-35.6

STANLEY N. GILREATH, Primary Examiner. 

